Rating: 
Sportsman’s Pride Dog Food receives the Advisor’s second-lowest rating of two stars.
The Sportsman’s Pride product line includes five dry dog foods.
Since we could not locate AAFCO nutritional adequacy statements for these products on the Sportsman’s Pride website, we’re unable to report specific life stage recommendations.
- Sportsman’s Pride Professional Formula
- Sportsman’s Pride Premium Adult Formula
- Sportsman’s Pride Premium Puppy Formula
- Sportsman’s Pride Maintenance Adult Formula
- Sportsman’s Pride Lamb Meal and Rice Formula
Sportsman’s Pride Premium Adult Formula dog food was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Sportsman's Pride Premium Adult Formula
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Chicken by-product meal, rice, corn meal, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), rice bran, dried beet pulp (ssugar removed), corn gluten meal, natural flavors, flaxseed, dried egg product, brewers dried yeast, salt, potassium chloride, lecithin, canola oil, rosemary extract, vitamins (choline chloride, vitamin E supplement, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, niacin, calcium pantothenate, thiamin mononitrate [source of vitamin B1], pyridoxine hydrochloride [source of vitamin B6], ribflavin supplement, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement), glucosamine hydrochloride, chondritin sulfate, minerals (dried kelp, zinc polysaccharide complex, iron polysaccharide complex, manganese polysaccharide complex and copper polysaccharide complex, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, manganese sulfate, calcium iodate, cobalt carbonate, sodium selenite)
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 3.4%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 26% | 18% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 30% | 21% | 42% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 24% | 41% | 35% |
The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken by-product meal… a dry rendered product of slaughterhouse waste. It’s made from what’s left of a slaughtered chicken after all the prime cuts have been removed.
In a nutshell, chicken by-products are those unsavory leftovers usually considered “unfit for human consumption”.
This stuff can contain almost anything… feet, beaks, undeveloped eggs… anything (that is) but skeletal muscle (real meat).
On the brighter side, by-product meals are meat concentrates and contain nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.
The second item mentions rice. Is this whole grain rice, brown rice or white rice? Since the word “rice” doesn’t tell us much, it’s impossible to judge the quality of this item.
The third ingredient is corn meal. Corn meal is a coarsely ground flour made from dried corn. Now, contrary to what you may have heard, corn isn’t necessarily a bad ingredient.
On the other hand, although there’s no way to know for sure here, the corn used in making many pet foods can be similar to the kind used to make feed for livestock.
And that can sometimes be problematic.
What’s more, corn is commonly linked to canine food allergies1.
For these reasons, we rarely consider corn a preferred component in any dog food.
The fourth ingredient is chicken fat. Chicken fat is obtained from rendering chicken… a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.
Chicken fat is high in linoleic acid… an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a quality ingredient.
The fifth ingredient is rice bran… a healthy by-product of rice milling. Though not as nutritionally complete as whole grain rice, brans are still unusually rich in fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals.
The sixth item is dried beet pulp. Beet pulp is a controversial ingredient… a high fiber by-product of sugar beet processing.
Some denounce beet pulp as an inexpensive filler while others cite its outstanding intestinal health and blood sugar benefits.
We only call your attention here to the controversy and believe the inclusion of beet pulp in reasonable amounts in most dog foods is entirely acceptable.
The seventh ingredient is corn gluten meal. Gluten is the rubbery residue left after corn has had most of its starchy carbohydrate (the good stuff) washed out of it.
Compared to meat, glutens are inferior grain-based proteins low in many of the essential amino acids dogs need for life.
This inexpensive plant-based ingredient can significantly boost the total protein content reported in this dog food.
After the natural flavors, we find flaxseed… one of the best plant sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Provided they’ve first been ground into a meal, flax seeds are also rich in soluble fiber.
The tenth ingredient is dried egg product… a dehydrated form of shell-free eggs. Quality can vary significantly. Lower grade egg product can even come from commercial hatcheries… from eggs that have failed to hatch.
In any case, eggs are easy to digest and have an exceptionally high biological value.
The next ingredient is brewers dried yeast. Brewers yeast can be a controversial item. Although it’s a by-product of the beer making process, this ingredient contains about 45% protein… and is rich in other healthy nutrients.
Fans believe yeast repels fleas and supports the immune system.
Critics argue yeast ingredients can be linked to allergies. This may be true, but (like all allergies) only if your particular dog is allergic to the yeast itself.
What’s more, a vocal minority insist yeast can increase the risk of developing the life-threatening condition known as bloat. However, this is something we’ve not been able to scientifically verify.
In any case, unless your dog is specifically allergic to it, we feel yeast should be considered a nutritious addition.
From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.
But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this product.
With three notable exceptions…
First, we note the inclusion of canola oil. Most applaud canola for its favorable omega-3 content… while a vocal minority condemn it as an unhealthy fat.
Current thinking (ours included) finds the negative stories about canola oil more the stuff of urban legend than actual science.2
Next, we also note this food contains chelated minerals… minerals that have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better dog foods.
And lastly, we find no mention of probiotics… friendly bacteria applied to the surface of the kibble after processing.
Sportsman’s Pride Dog Food
The Bottom Line
Judging by its ingredients alone, Sportsman’s Pride Dog Food appears to be a below-average kibble.
But ingredient quality by itself cannot tell the whole story. We still need to estimate the product’s meat content before determining a final rating.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 30%, a fat level of 21% and estimated carbohydrates of about 42%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 30% and a mean fat level of 19%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 43% for the overall product line.
Near-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbohydrates… when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Yet when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the corn gluten meal, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing only a moderate amount of meat.
Bottom line?
Sportsman’s Pride Dog Food is a grain-based dry kibble using a moderate amount of chicken by-product or lamb meals as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand two stars.
Not recommended.
A Final Word
This review is designed to help you make a more informed decision when buying dog food. However, our rating system is not intended to suggest feeding a particular product will result in a specific health benefit for your pet.
For a better understanding of how we analyzed this product, please be sure to read our article, “The Problem with Dog Food Reviews”
Remember, no dog food can possibly be appropriate for every life stage, lifestyle or health condition. So, choose wisely. And when in doubt consult a veterinarian for help.
Have an opinion about this dog food… or maybe the review itself? Please know… we welcome your comments.
Notes and Updates
10/10/2010 Original review
10/10/2010 Last Update
- White, S., Update on food allergy in the dog and cat, World Small Animal Veterinary Association, Vancouver, 2001 ↩
- Mikkelson, B and DP, Oil of Ole, Urban Legends Reference Pages (2005) ↩
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.